Main Cast: Peter Van den Begin, Lucie Debay, Titus De Voogdt
A classic mockumentary blending gently satirical humour with deeper underpinnings, King of the Belgians is a delightful, surprisingly respectful ribbing of the incongruity of monarchy, Belgium, and the Balkans.
During a Belgian king’s state visit to Istanbul, the French-speaking part of Belgium, Wallonia, declares its independence and the country’s leader needs to get home — or to what’s left of it — but because of an electrical storm, the only possibility is to drive across the Balkans to Western Europe.
From a yoghurt festival in Bulgaria to a rakia-filled drunken Serbian night in the company of a rowdy former sharpshooter still haunted by his past, the officious barriers between the members of this small party crumble one after the other.
With its unexpected encounters, unforeseen dilemmas and moments of unexpected joy, King of the Belgians is a wonderfully original comedy drama which has won a string of audience and jury awards across Europe, so don’t miss its Irish Premiere in Kilkenny!